Santa Fe Nights

What's the music up on the hill?

“Cultivate what you want to see,” DJ King George tells SFR. And he’s right. The occasional grumblings around town are that there is nowhere to dance, but King George is hard at work to turn that negative outlook around.

King George is on board to begin a new residency in the Lounge at The Lodge every Friday, in which the speakers will bump with break beats, house, electro, hip-hop,’80s and ’90s classics. He also has a plan to get the dance floor packed this Feburary. The idea behind Party Throwers, a friendly 10-week DJ competition between local talent is to select 10 up-and-coming local DJs to play a Friday night with King George. The DJ who brings in the biggest crowd not only wins $1,000 but gets the door cover and a summer residency at the hotel. DJs, it’s time to dig through those crates to find a killer set.

King George, the seasoned DJ who has held successful residencies at the now defunct hot spots Paramount and Swig, is anxious to get the local music scene to a level where people flock to clubs to hear their favorite songs again.

“I hear people complain all the time about not having anything to do. But the people that complain don’t come out to parties. The community support just isn’t there, plus there aren’t that many venues to work with anymore,” George says. “But I think if you open your eyes, you’ll see there is actually a lot to do.”

The Lodge’s new regional beverage manager, Ryan Schmidt, is ecstatic about the future of The Lodge. The hotel is beginning a major overhaul on its entertainment schedule and hopes to inspire more tepid music fans to put down the video games, get off the couch and actively participate in Santa Fe’s nightlife. Schmidt plans to utilize more of The Lodge’s spaces such as the downstairs Cabaret Room, The Grand Ballroom and the upstairs Lounge.

Currently, the Cabaret Room is home to DJ Avi Kadir’s popular Mambo Room, held every other Saturday. The ample space holds more than 200 people, is elegantly decorated to resemble an authentic Spanish cabaret and sets the mood for the dance party perfectly. The Grand Ballroom comfortably fits more than 400 people and has a stage big enough to host full live bands. Schmidt’s goal is to create an urge to head out and support the community-sponsored events held at The Lodge. While Santa Fe’s nightlife undoubtedly needs work, the potential for it to explode is there.

With more spaces available, Schmidt hopes to attract more local, regional, national and international acts to Santa Fe. The Lodge is currently in negotiations with DJ Revolution of LA’s Wake Up Show and electro/hip-hop pioneer Egyptian Lover to perform this spring. Coming up, local DJ Che is set to play his blend of house and techno on Saturday, Jan. 31 and other local favorites, such as DJs Feathericci, Dave Starr, Jonathan Grossman and Tatooine, scratch and mix their way into early February.